Impulsive Romance
by CyberGothVampire-LadyElixir
Summary: Wake up, Raven, it's a dream! Just a bad dream, she whispers to herself, but with Trevor standing in front of her and Alexander's snarling fangs, even she knows that it's not a dream. RavenxTrevor
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

Chapter 1

Raven's Point of View

Everything seemed to have not changed in Dullsville. The wealthy were still stuck-up, the weather was still sunny, _ugh..._Everyone was still all smiles and joy with that crooked smile no one could ever see when their backs turned. Dullsville hasn't changed in the time I had been at Aunt Libby's. But I have.

I woke up for school by my alarm and for once didn't wish to smash it with a hammer. I was happy. Of course, how could I not with the most handsome vampire as my beloved? Just the thought of him makes my heart soar!

I stretched and went to due my morning duties. I stood in front of my closet not daring to open the door, I knew there would be an avalanche of black on black clothing and that I might be lost for days! Hey, I may be a girl, but one thing I'm not is clean & tidy.

I settled on a black corset with a torn fishnet undershirt paired with a black and purple checkered school girl skirt, thigh high stockings and my signature combat boots. Make up was original: Black with black, where could you go wrong?

Becky honked her horn and I was off!

"HEY MONSTER GIRL?!?!? Halloween is over, didn't you get the memo? Wait, you wouldn't have, you live in a cave!" Trevor's mood-wrecking voice cut through my daydreams of Alexander. Of course I should have known my enthusiasm would be put to the test. I turned around to face him with a glare.  
"Don't you have some cheerleader boneheads to mess with, Neanderthal?"  
"You could be a gothic Cheerleader, would that count?" He asked winking at me.

"And become infected with social acceptance at the cost of my dignity? No thanks." With that I turned and walked to home room with Becky looking from Matt to me and back to Matt. Matt chuckled and Trevor glared at him, Matt just shrugged at Trevor in that "Uh... It's not my fight" kind of way and turned to walk Becky to her class.

Classes went by so slowly I felt each minute tick by, anxious to get back to Alexander and in his arms. The final bell rang and I bust through the double doors yelling "FREEDOM!!!"... Then I remembered that Becky was giving me a ride home. Bat-tastic!

Nothing felt like home more than the mansion. I felt a kindred for the Baroness, a lone woman who was forced to live a life in solitude as I am. With Alexander in my life and his home as our home nothing could have made me feel happier.

"So how is your Aunt Libby?" Alexander asked while we watched Bela Lugosi's Dracula for the millionth time. "She's doing really well, the Village Players are still going strong and she's having so much fun." I smiled. "I wouldn't mind living as free and spirited as her... But maybe not in her style." I giggled. Alexander held me close and squeezed me, "You are free and spirited." I looked up into his chocolate soulful eyes and we kissed.

He drove me home and gave me a sweet goodnight. "I'll see you tomorrow at sunset." He said to me. "I don't want the night to end." I complained. He shook his head and smiled. "I promised I'd have you home on time every night. I really like making your dad feel like you can be safe with me." I beamed at this. "You really are perfect!" I threw my arms around him and for the last time that night I kissed his full lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Trevor's Point of View

It was two agonizing weeks of not seeing Raven or even hearing about her. Spring break is supposed to be the party time of the year, yet for another year it has just been lonely.

The morning of the first day of school since break began I was anxious. My stomach turned into knots and I couldn't help myself. I just wanted to see her. I fumbled with my clothes and couldn't decide what to wear; even though she never liked the way I dressed I always wanted to look good for her.

I had finally decided on regular outfit for Trevor Mitchell and looked into my full length ceiling-to-floor mirror and noticed the action figure behind my old trophies in the reflection. I picked it up and looked at it. It was dusty and worn out; I must have played with it for years before deciding to move on with toys. But this one never left my room and into the garbage like the others. This one was special; the one and only gift I ever got that I really loved. And it was from her. I smiled at the thought of her... Oh, what time is it?

"Crap!"

"Honey, is everything okay?" My mother called from downstairs. "Y-yeah. Just realized I'm gonna be late for school!" _I have to see her..._"You better hurry then, I don't want to have to tell your father that your slacking." She called out in a sing-sing voice. I knew she was joking; we were like that. I ran down the stairs and bolted to my car, and with a quick glance around the neighborhood, hood sliding like I'd seen in the movies. _I need to see her... Just once..._

I got to the school on time and walked around campus determined to find her. _Play it cool Trev, don't catch everyone's attention while trying to look for the girl of your dreams..._ "Oh! Hey, Trevor!" Jennifer called walking up to me. _Great, just great. _"Oh, hey." I replied uninterested in the recent gossip she just heard this morning or her pea-sized brain. "Guess what I just found out?" she gushed, "Elizabeth had liposuction yesterday! Isn't that gross?" _Oh great... I have to find Raven!_ _Not have some moron follow me around. Can't she tell I'm not listening? _"I mean, what kind of loser do you have to be if you have to go to the hospital because of fatness, I mean, we all knew she was fat and we didn't eve-" _Oh thank god, she stopped talking. _"Speaking of losers... There's that hideous, Halloween girl. Gross!" My heart thudded really fast in my chest. I turned to where Jennifer was looking and there she was...

She had just closed her locker and she smiled. It was gorgeous. She was laughing; she's never on-time, never happy in the morning and she never laughs before lunch. Why was she so happy? Then it hit me hard. _Alexander..._ The thought just crushed me inside. Had he spent this whole break with her? Listening to her voice? Holding her close? It was stupid to even ask, I knew he was the only reason why she smiled. The pain in my chest grew and before I could contain it it spilled over and shot out, but not in the form of tears; they became words.

"HEY MONSTER GIRL?!?!? Halloween is over, didn't you get the memo? Wait, you wouldn't have, you live in a cave!" I called out with every ounce of my anger and sadness warping it into my usual banter to hassle her. She stopped mid-step and turned around, her eyes so intense and hating, I felt the full force of her hatred just through her eyes. _I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... Make you feel this way. _"Don't you have some cheerleader boneheads to mess with, Neanderthal?" She spat. And for some reason Alexander's face popped into my mind. My anger boiled. "You could be a Gothic Cheerleader, would that count?" _No, I didn't want to say that...! _"And become infected with social acceptance at the cost of my dignity? No thanks." She turned and walked away. I stood there not knowing what to do. My anger blew over and all I felt was sadness. _Why couldn't I just act normal with her? Would it be so hard? _I glared at Matt, who just shrugged and walked away with Becky. _But she only knows me as the Soccer Snob who would do anything to ruin her life..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

Chapter 3

Raven's Point of View

I sat propped on my elbows in my room writing in my Olivia Outcast journal. I had just gotten out of school and now I counted down the minutes till I could see my vampire again.

The phone rang and I shouted, "I'll get it!" but the phone had already been answered. Billy-boy came into my room and with a disappointed face, tossed me the phone. "Don't you know how to knock?" I scolded. "It's Becky." was all he said and went back into his room. _Oh... I guess he's waiting for that girl to call. _I put the phone against my ear. "Hey Beck, what's up?"  
"Hey, Raven, I know this is short notice, but Matt has some family event to go to and I was wondering if you want to hang out?"  
"Sure. I've been needing some R&R from my room." I said falling back onto my bed.  
"Great! I'll be over in ten!"

Becky and I went to Patsy's Diner and ordered milkshakes and fries. It was great just having some alone time with Becky. We really missed each other. We gushed about school, Matt for her and Alexander for me. We made random stories of what our future would be like.

"I can imagine you as a baroness!" she said, "You'd be so good at it, Alexander already has the mansion and you two look so adorable together!"  
"And you and Matt are a great match too." I said smiling. Becky blushed and I laughed. "Can you imagine what it would be like if you two got married?" Becky blushed even more and gave a meek little smile. "You'd run his estate like they did way back in the middle ages; ordering servants around, making then do odd jobs." I broke out into laughter at the thought of Becky in overalls pointing madly around Matt's mansion and Becky just made a pouty face at me. She knew I was only joking. And then we just sat there and sighed out of contentment. So much time has gone by, the years really did just melt away. We were juniors in high school and we both could remember the first day we met.

"Raven?"  
"Hm?" I looked up at her.  
"Promise me nothing will change." She looked so calm and solemn. I broke out into a wide smile.  
"If anything happens, I'll still be right here with you."

I sat in my room after Becky dropped me off and I wondered what had brought that up. Me and Becky have been spending so much time apart that it had already started changing. I didn't want her to worry anymore than she should, but I know that somehow, if anything were to happen, nothing could keep us from being best friends.

Night was starting to fall and was getting ready to meet Alexander at the cemetery. I had already gotten ready but for some strange reason I was running a little behind schedule. I called the mansion in hopes of catching Alexander before he went out the door but Jameson said had already left. Scolding myself I said thank you and hung up the phone, bolting this way and that to start heading out the door.

The cemetery isn't too far away, but it's not that close either. The walk was peaceful and I appreciated the slight breeze that gave movement to the night. It made the trees sway in a way that calmed me and small bats fluttered overhead, while the moon guided me to my love.

I heaved and climbed over the cemetery gates and started my journey to his grandmother's monument. I sat close to her monument and waited.

"Grave robbing is a crime you know?" A very familiar voice said from behind me. With a jolt I stood up and turned to face Trevor.  
"What are you doing here?" I spat.  
"What are _you_ doing here?"  
"None of your business. Last time I checked, soccer snobs don't sneak around in the cemetery at night."  
"And the last time _I_ checked, this was a free country."

We just stared each other down, neither one of us backing down from this fight.

A twig snapped far close by, both our heads spun towards the noise and I immediately started heading in that direction knowing it was Alexander.  
"Don't head towards creepy noises at night." Trevor called out catching up to me. "Horror movie 101, never go in the same direction of a creepy noise." He stated like this was a pop-quiz.  
"Leave me alone Trevor and save yourself if this is..." I turned towards him and made a scared face, "oooooh so creepy." And I continued walking towards Alexander.

More snapping noises could be heard and I called out, "Alexander?" Before I could call his name again Trevor ran up to me and grabbed my arm, "I think we should go." he said and looked into my eyes. "Somethings not right and I can feel it."  
"Then you can be a soccer wimp and go home." I pointed in any general direction and yanked my arm from his grasp. Another twig snapped directly in front of me. Raising my head to meet his eyes I smiled expecting to see Alexander, but then my smile faded. _That's not Alexander..._

_  
_  
"You should really learn to take people's advice." The stranger grinned.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

Chapter 4

Trevor's Point of View

"Pick up the pace! The game is in a couple of days, at this rate we're losing!" The coach bellowed. Matt jogged beside me, "How you holding up?"  
"Alright, I just want to kick his head off, though." I said with a growl. Matt just bust out laughing but winced. "Ow, Trev, don't make me laugh." He chuckled then winced again. "Mitchell!" The coach hollered. "Save the girl talk for after practice!" I rolled my eyes and Matt chuckled then sauntered off to his position.

The day proceeded just like that; drills, practice games and constant yelling from the coach. By the time soccer practice was over I collapsed on the side of the bleachers and just laid there breathing rapidly. Matt sat down next to me. "Man," He said, "he's more brutal than normal today." He rubbed his aching muscles.

"So how are you and Becky doing?" Matt laughed, "Since when did you ever start calling her Becky?" I just stared up at the sky. "You know what I mean." Was all I said. He glanced sideways at me and shrugged. "We're doing great. My family adores her and her family likes me." He smiled inwardly. I looked at him for a moment and sighed. "So... What's this about? You never ask how my relationship is doing. I'm thinking that something is bothering you." He looked at me in a semi-serious way. I sat up and inhaled a deep breath. "Matt, you see... Um. Well," I sighed and rubbed my forehead, "I don't know..." Was all I could muster up. "Well, whatever it is, you can find some way to make it work. Things happen and all we can do is find some way to make it all better. Sometimes we even have to take things into our own hands and do it ourselves, you know? Maybe you need some time to think, hell, I don't know, but hey, you're not the Soccer Star for nothing." He gave me a slap on the back and stood up. "I've gotta pick up Becky now, So I'll see ya tomorrow." He waved and started for his car. "Later." I called.

I lay in my room after practice wondering why I feel so different. My mind is everywhere and I can't help it; school, soccer, homework, relationships or the lack-there-of, and... Raven. My stomach fluttered and I closed my eyes briefly. I could imagine her or call her picture from my memory and right now she laughed while throwing up the rocker hand signal and head banged to whatever music she was listening to at the moment. I grinned to myself, _Such a rebel girl._ But imagination is never quite the same as the real thing. Then something Matt said just popped into my head, _Sometimes we even have to take things into our own hands and do it ourselves, you know? _My eyes snapped open and for some strange reason I had the craziest idea. I got up, grabbed my jacket and headed out the door.

"This is the stupidest thing I've ever done." I said out loud to myself as I drove my car towards the residential streets. "It may be stupid, crazy, idiotic... Whatever! But..." _My heart is beating so fast._ All I could do was smile.

I pulled up to the cemetery and parked far out of sight under large, overgrown trees. This was the only place I could think where she would be at this hour. It wasn't late but the sun had definitely set and it was dark. The gates were locked and I had thought briefly that I should go back home but then I thought, what would Raven do? I grinned and climbed over the gate in record time.

A dense fog had settled close to the ground and I walked through a sea of tombstones. Normally I would have been freaked out and wondered where my sanity had gone but tonight I felt more alive and adventurous than I ever had. Is this what she feels like every night she's here? I walked in no particular direction, not knowing where I was going, I just wanted to walk until I found her. Surprisingly enough, it was very easy.

On top of a small hill was a giant stone monument with a bouquet of roses at the base and there, looking like a fallen angel, was Raven. She looked content looking up at the stars, her dark black hair cascading down her shoulders, her eyes and pale skin lit up by the light of the moon. I felt so... Awestruck. Like I had just witnessed a goddess bathe in the river.

_What should I say?_ I groped for words that wouldn't cause an argument and came up short. Because truthfully, we argued about everything. But maybe just this once I won't hassle her out of anger or sorrow, maybe just this once... I'll joke with her. _Yeah, the only time we ever show our emotions is when we throw childish banter back and fourth. Maybe this once it won't go too far..._

"Grave robbing is a crime you know?" I said as I came out of the shadows. She turned to face me with a vulnerable look on her face, her expression caught me by surprise and as soon as it was there it was gone.  
"What are you doing here?"  
"What are _you_ doing here?" I took a few steps closer, slowly though, I didn't want her to run away.  
"None of your business. Last time I checked, soccer snobs don't sneak around in the cemetery at night." She stood up and dusted off her clothing, god she was beautiful.  
"And the last time _I_ checked, this was a free country." I hoped she could see the genuine smile on my face, but we just stood there.

A twig snapped in the distance and before I knew it she took off in that direction. _What the hell is she doing?_

"Don't head towards creepy noises at night." I called out catching up to her. "Horror movie 101, never go in the same direction of a creepy noise." I said. _Do I sound as worried as I feel?  
_"Leave me alone Trevor and save yourself if this is..." she turned towards me and made a cute face that was supposed to be scared, "oooooh so creepy." And I couldn't help it, I laughed before I could catch myself and stop as soon as I did. But she didn't hear she just kept walking in the direction of the snapped twigs.

I started walking towards her again but then I stopped. _She thinks it's Alexander that's making those noises. But if it was him he'd be here already. But he's not, the sound is going further, not closer. _Alarm shot through me. _That's not Alexander._

I ran to Raven and grabbed her arm, "I think we should go. Some-thing's not right and I can feel it."  
"Then you can be a soccer wimp and go home." She said and yanked her arm away from me and turned around. Another twig snapped, it sounded really close and when Raven turned to the figure that came out of the trees she halted completely.

I was right and I wish I wasn't...


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

[Sorry Readers, I made some adjustments to Chapter 5. Hope you like it! :3]

Chapter 5

Raven's Point of View

I staggered back, lost my footing and would've fallen if strong arms wouldn't have caught me. I looked up to see Trevor's worried face as he helped me up and put me behind him as a shield. I was too baffled and afraid to wonder why he was protecting me.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" Trevor yelled at the stranger. But the silhouette only chuckled and began to circle us.

"Bravery from one such as yourself is surprising. Fake bravery, that is. I can hear your heart beating rabidly, like a rabbit meeting it's end. The more you breathe the more blood pumps throughout your body, and the more I can smell you."

My body went rigid. _Smell? Oh, no..._ _He's a vampire... _The thought swept through me with new found fear.

My hands were on Trevors back and I could feel a slight tremor ripple through his body; he was afraid... But didn't falter.

The stranger bellowed with laughter and with a snarl lashed out. "Now you are mine!" Trevor was hit with the full force of the vampire's strength and knocked down. With a choking gasp he tried to breathe. The vampire stood up and tsked, "And here I thought you'd be more fun." I ran to Trevor and reached down to him.

"Nu-uh." The vampire said and somehow flitted beside me, grabbing me by my shirt and hoisting me up. With a gasp and scream I kicked and clawed whatever I could reach. I heard and _Oooph! _and fell to the ground. "Raven!" Trevor grabbed my hand and with what little strength he had left he put into the effort of dragging me to safety. As we ran all we heard were the echoing laughter of the vampire in the darkness.

"The only reason you live is because I let you... Just remember that fact every second you breathe..." His echoes coursed through the cemetery and into my mind. I knew it was in Trevor's mind too.

The trees swayed in the wind, their giant trunks groaning with the effort to not run away as Trevor and I were doing now. We zig-zagged through tombstones and monuments, dodging low hanging branches and trying not to trip over the roots growing above the ground. There was rustling in the bushes and trees everywhere. By the sound of it we were surrounded. My fear rose up to choke me and breathing became harder and harder to do. But we didn't stop. I clutched Trevor's hand harder and he squeezed mine in return.

With our minds set on our daring escape, I no longer thought of him as my enemy. Right now... we needed each other, whether we liked it or not.

We reached the gate and found it open. I ran in one direction and Trevor ran in the other, then doubled back to grab my arm, "This way!" I was too scared to throw a fit. I followed and we ended up on the side of the cemetery where his car was parked away from view. His doors unlocked in record time and we didn't even stop to put our seat belts on. Trevor started the car and drove off, breaking every speed limit known to man and didn't stop until the early morning rays peaked over the horizon.

Trevor's Point of View

Raven fell back and I caught her in time. I thought that he had hurt her but her expression showed no pain, so I redirected my attention to this nutcase in front of us. He definitely was not Alexander and no one I can recognize. _So he's not from here._

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" I yelled. But all he said was some stuff about heartbeats and blood... _What the hell? Did he say that he can smell me? _For some reason what he said scared me. It was completely bogus and impossible and crazy! But the way he's looking at Raven... _Like he wants to eat her._

The stranger let out a howl of laughter and then lunged at me. He was so fast, too fast to be real. And then his body came in contact with mine and I felt like I was being hit with the punching bag in the gym. It caught me off gaurd; I was hit with the full force of his attack and he knocked me down to the ground. The air was pushed out of me and I saw sparks that exploded from my eyes to the back of my head. This splitting headache cut through my skull and I felt nauseous. I coughed and wheezed and tried to scramble to get back up. But the more I moved the worse the pain, headache felt and the harder it was to breathe.

Everything was going in slow motion now, my vision was doubled and blurred. I heard a sound, faint and close by. It was Raven whimpering as she reached down by my side. There was a slight pause then a scream. I whipped my head around. _Raven...!_ With a jolt I looked up to see the stranger pick her up off the ground and he was... Smiling?! Adrenaline and the overwhelming urge to protect her erupted within me. With more strength than I have ever had in my life I tackled him.

"Raven!" I yelled and grabbed her arm. We half stumbled and half ran to what I hoped was the entrance.

His laughter echoed in the cemetery. Then his words... The words I wished she couldn't hear.

I squeezed her hand tighter as rustling could be heard everywhere. Alarm rose within me and I was put into overdrive. _Just get her to safety! _Was all I could think.

We ran past through the open gate. _Open? No time to worry about that!_ We reached my car and without stopping I drove us as far away from this place as we could get, not daring to stop until my car ran out of gas.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

Chapter 6

Alexander's Point of View

I stepped out of the shadows under the trees in the cemetery as Mathias' laughter echoed fiercely. The crunch of twigs and gravel under my boots ceased the guile laughter. His head snapped around and he grinned, "I was wondering where I could find you. Low and behold, here you are, in one of the most tiniest of towns. I have to admit, it was rather difficult to hunt you down." and sauntered towards me and grinned. "My, you've been a greedy fellow. If I had known this small town harbored that delicate thing I would have come here instead of you." I ignored his comment. "Mathias, there was no reason to do what you did." He made an odd glance at me. "And miss the fear that swept through her veins?" He smirked. "She was too tempting. I couldn't resist. And her blood..." Mathias inhaled deeply closing his eyes, when his eyes opened they were lime Green with black pupils. "It was intoxicating..." I impulsively clenched my fists. "She is not to be harmed." I whispered through clenched teeth. His green eyes turned towards me, "No worries, Alexander, she will not fall to harm through me... Just into pure ecstasy." He laughed lightly inhaling Raven's fading scent.

"Enough with the games. What are you doing here?" I commanded. Mathias put a hand to his heart, if he had one, and pretended to feel pain. "You hurt me so, with your heartless words." He guffawed. "Come, now? No slap on the back for your old friend? No 'jolly good to see you'?" He teased while throwing play punches towards me. I continued to stare at him. He then made a sour face. "I see the good'ol free country has taken the spirit from-" "Mathias." I commanded once again.

He chuckled and shook his head and his humor sobered. "The alliance was forged. The Great Families has now become one line." I stared at him as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I think this may put a damper on your plans." He teased.

"I didn't expect it to be so quick," I admitted, "I thought it would take years, even decades!" I threw my arms into the air and started pacing. Mathias walked towards me. "Listen, Alexander, you could still abandon this ridiculous dream of yours. The Great Families are not to be trifled with." He followed me with his eyes. "There is one other bit of news that I should tell you." His words ceased my pacing. "Why do I not like the sound of your tone?" I asked. "Only during times of dire circumstances, such as this, will my tone ever be this serious..." He paused momentarily. "Isaac and Jezebel have made it their personal vendetta as well as the vendetta of the Great Families to find you."

His words hit me like an invisible blow, the air went out of me for a brief second and I snarled. "Why?" I hissed. Mathias wasn't the least bit frightened by my reaction, he'd expected it while inspecting his rather sharp nails. "It seems as though Isaac has concocted some false pretense that you intended to behead him, steal his bride and conquer his portion of Romania. Ridiculous, I know." He sighed while cleaning dirt from underneath one of his nails.

Mathias grunted and shifted his weight from one stance to another. "Well then, I shall see myself off." He began walking away but then he stopped. "That girl of yours..." "Raven." "Yes... She was accompanied by another mortal." I turned to look in the direction of her scent. "Although it seemed she did not want to be near him, he, however, was longing for her." My eyes snapped towards Mathias. "What are your intentions with her anyhow?" He then shrugged his shoulders. "Mind me, it is none of my business." Mathias walked off into the shadows and disappeared.

I stared down at the ground and stared up at the sky at a loss for words. my eyes wandered to the ground again and swept over something that glimmered in the moonlight. I picked up a sliver bracelet with an emblem inscribed onto it and the initials _T.M. _My heart thudded in my chest.

_Trevor..._


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

Chapter 7

Raven's Point of View

We were parked somewhere... Anywhere in the middle of nowhere. I guess you could call it a rest stop area where all nighter truckers would go for food and rest. Trevor and I just sat in the car, his fuel meter passed E. I didn't get a wink of sleep and neither did he, and as I quickly glanced over at him through the corner of my eyes I noticed how haggard he looked.

He shifted to turn the radio on and fiddled with the tuner buttons until he found a station that actually had reception. With a sigh he leaned his seat back a little and just looked up at the hood of his car. Awkward enough, the only station that we were able to listen to was a local rock station. Surprisingly I didn't know that band but Trevor started to hum to the music. Shocked I looked at him.

"Shockwave is a good band. You should listen to them sometime." He said as he met my gaze. Usually I would have thoroughly questioned him on what his definition of a "good band" was, but we had had a run in with something I'd rather not explain... So I'll just not start anything right now.

"Raven... Do you know about anything that happened last night...?"

_Great-Batsby... So much for just not explaining anything...  
_

"Uh... Your guess is as great as mine." I opted for ignorance; it's the best card to play. Cause saying "Oh, hey soccer snob, you know all those rumors about vampires? Well, you were right! Alexander's a vampire and it seems there are others too! Even more Bat-tastic is that they are more powerful and villainous than Alexander and we just met one last night!!!" didn't seem like the right thing to say at this moment... Better yet, at all.

Trevor sat up in his seat faster than I you could say soccer scholarship and looked me in the eyes. "Come on Raven, you expect me to believe that the one and only girl in our town who dresses like some horror movie heroine, lives in the cemetery, hates the sun, and believes in every horror creature known to man does not have any explanation or idea of what insane events took place last night?" He exhaled loudly and threw himself back in his seat and shot back up again. "I'm trying to wrack my brain of everything or anything I could think of as to what the hell happened! And so far all I've come up with are stuff you see on movies!" He threw his arms into the air and rested his head on the steering wheel and just breathed deeply.

Stunned and speechless all I could do was sit there. How could I explain to someone who has slandered everything I have ever loved all my life, that everything he saw in movies is almost 45% correct? How on earth do you do that? Easy. You just don't. At any cost, I have to protect Alexander and every other friendly Nosferatu that I have met.

"He was just some crazy loon. Maybe he escaped from a psyche ward somewhere. Who knows. But it's over and done with now." I lied through my teeth wishing to the goth gods that he would just leave it at that.

Trevor looked at me sideways and just sighed. "I know we've never been nice to each other, but after last night... I don't know, it was just too creepy and insane; like something directly from a movie... But... Raven. I want you to be careful. That guy... Something tells me he's the real deal and if he's somehow made his way to our town... What if he decides not to leave? And if so, I want you to be safe. I want everyone to be safe."

And then he raised his head from the steering wheel. With one last glance at me he unlocked the doors. "Come on, let's get something to eat." And he got out and to the other side to open my door for me.

_Oh... My... Goth. Is Trevor really saying everything I think he's saying? Is he really doing what I think he's doing? Quick! Locate the hidden cameras! _But it was no joke and it wasn't a prank he had somehow ingeniously schemed. He was being vulnerably honest. And if I was going to be be honest too, I'd say that I was really grateful and secretly happy that he cared. But I won't. I'll just think it for now.

Trevor's Point of View

After everything that happened last night and the somewhat one-sided conversation in the car, it seemed that everything was actually okay.

Raven and I sat at a booth across from each other in some diner at a rest stop. All that adrenaline and fear made us really hungry; one step in the diner and we were both drooling.

"I think maybe we should start heading back now." Raven said to me as we sat at a booth.

"I know we should, but we have to think of what we're going to say first. We can't just go back and have no story for why we were gone all night." I explained.

"Never thought I'd say this, but, you're right." she admitted. Then her eyes widened. "Great-Batsby! Everyone's going to think that we spent the night together!" and she started banging her head on the table lightly.

"Wow, do you hate me that much?" was all I said before I could stop myself.

Her head lifted up a notch, then two and she sighed. "Um... I didn't mean for it to sound like that..." She hesitated.

I put my hand up to stop her. "You don't have to explain or even take it back. I know I deserve it. Raven... I'm so-"

"Here ya'lls menus." A fire-red haired woman, with a name tag that read Gertrude, said as she handed us typed up laminated menus. "Would ya'll like sumthin' ta drink while ya order?" She smiled with at me and turned to Raven and her smile twitched a bit at the corners. Raven didn't notice at all and if she did she didn't even care.

"Give us a minute." I told her.

"Sure thing!" She said and sauntered away looking back every other second or so to stare at Raven.

"Do you get that everywhere you go?" I asked her as she was already rolling her eyes over every inch of the menu.

"Get what?" She looked up at me.

"The looks?"

"Oh." She laughed. "All the time." She then turned to glare at Gertrude who was staring at her still. Gertrude turned around. Raven laughed. "Works every time."

"I think she's developing a phobia. I can see it now! Ravaphobia, the fear of goth-girl, Raven's, stare." I teased.

"Yeah, and it can only be cured by eating bat gummy candies and watching Bela Lugosi's Dracula at 3:27 a.m. exactly!" She added.

We both laughed And for the third time in my life, I was content. I could tell she was too.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

Chapter 8

Mathias' Point of view

After leaving Alexander to ponder his thoughts and the remnants of the past I decided to visit an old friend. I knew that it was crucial to mine and Alexander's ambitious goals to gather as much allies as possible. _Allies._ It was a peculiar word, _which among our species rarely exists_, I thought as I stared up at the neon lights. Coffin Club.

The line to the entrance of the club rounded the corner, and with me being who I am, I rarely had time for such trivial matters. I walked up to the bouncer guarding the entrance who looked like he was having a hard time not looking at the girls.

"Daniel, is there any way to attach your eyes back into your head?" I laughed. He straightened up immediately and apologized.

"My apologies, Sir." He stammered as he unhooked the black velvet rope and let me in. As I passed him by the door I patted his shoulder.

"These mortal women age with time and their beauty does not last. Soon your taste for them will dwindle." I said and cast him a sympathetic smile.

Daniel made a face and quickly hid it. I laughed and continued walking inside the Coffin Club.

The music pulsed through the speakers and its vibrations reverberated through the floor. I took in the sight of mortals thrashing around like animals and I grunted in disgust, but continued making my way through the maze of vermin.

I cuaght a familiar scent that wafted by. I grinned and followed the scent that led me up a flight of stairs onto a landing overlooking the spectacle of humans.

Jagger was sitting on a couch with three swooning girls. One blond, one red head and one brunette. It was just like Jagger to want to try every flavor that existed.

"It never ceases to amaze me just how much you haven't changed." I chuckled while crossing my arms in front of my chest. The girls gasped and looked at me while trying to hide like children beside Jagger. He didn't even look in my direction, he just exhaled.

"And it never amazes me how you always happen to ruin the fun." He turned towards me and glared.

"Ladies," Jagger turned to each gullible face, "I have an unexpected visitor, so, sadly we will have to continue some other time." he stood up while the girls whined like a bunch of mopey dogs.

"Follow me." He said while descending the stairs.

We were in his underground lair, or a pathetic excuse for one. I scrutinized his taste inch by inch and even ran a finger along the dusty shelves in pure disgust. Jagger huffed.

"So, are you going to explain why you are here or am I wasting my time? There are hundreds of girls waiting for me."

I ignored him for a moment or two, walking around the dank room and inspecting his adorned walls of idiocracy. "I remembered you were somewhere located here and I wanted to see how my dear little cousin is doing."

"That's a damn lie and you know it. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Do you want me to answer that question?" I slowly smiled at him.

Jagger glared at me.

"I came to pay Alexander a visit." I admitted.

"So why would you come to see me then?" He scoffed.

I paused. "I have a proposition for you."

Jagger's point of view

I sat down and downed the last of my Execution. I couldn't quite get a hold on what Mathias was saying. It was possibly the most hilarious thing I could have ever heard, but for some reason I knew Mathias wouldn't joke like this. It just wasn't in his nature to make this up.

"So, let me get this straight," I started, "you need my help?" I laughed. "Mathias, _the_ Mathias, needs my help."

He looked at me as if he was trying to mentally bore a hole in my head. "Silence, boy. If there were some other way to go about this without consulting you, believe me, I would take that route with glee. But with things as they are, it seems we cannot do this without you. So do not test my act of kindness."

I rubbed my fingers against my temple that began to throb. "Everything that you've said is ridiculous. No one in even their worst state of madness, vampire or otherwise, would even dare do this," I began, "to even suggest that he would... That he wants to... I mean, hell! I'm all for power, revenge, destruction, greed; any sin actually, but even I know when enough is too far and when too far is just plain suicide. Heh. Believe me, I'd love to do what he's doing; I'm just winded that he could come up with something this... Dangerous... But do you think I want to die young?" I began pacing the room, then I stopped and looked at Mathias.

His eyes met mine and for a long moment we just stared at each other down; a personal internal war. "Tell me how it began."

Mathias let out a long exhale and stared up at the ceiling. "It is a very, very long story."

I chuckled, more to myself than to him. "We have nothing but time."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

Chapter 9

Raven's Point of View

Trevor pulled into the school's parking lot. Thankfully we only missed a class or two. Don't get me wrong, I would love to stay home from school, but considering what happened last night and the fact that I didn't go home, I just wanted to be surrounded by normal people for a while... Then deal with my parents when I get home. We were still sitting in his car. I was trying to work up the courage to move, open the door, anything! "Thank you..."

He turned to look at me. I could see him out of the corner of my eye as he reached for me. It was then that I opened the car door and rushed out into the blinding sun. I didn't look back once.

I made it late to my third period class. I sat at my desk and sighed from relief. No one seemed to notice that I was gone for a while. All the snobs still didn't know I existed, and the teacher still looked at me disapprovingly, most likely because I was tardy; not because I just spent the night with the school's golden boy.

And then it hit me.

_Oh my goth... My parents!_ I banged my head on the desk. How the hell am I going to explain why I wasn't home last night and why I wasn't there this morning. I groaned. I went through the class dreading what I would say and how I would say it.

Scenario 1: _Oh, hi mom! What? Not home last night? Psssh. You're imagining things! I was here all night!_ Like hell that would work!

Scenario 2: _Hey mom, I'm sorry I wasn't home last night, I know I should've called but I spent the night at Becky's. Yes, I did go out with Alexander last night and we met Becky and Matt at the diner. After dinner we all headed home, except I left with Becky. Yes, mom, I promise I'll call from now on._ That just might work.

My hopes started to lift.

Scenario 3: _Mom! I'm home! Oh, hi dad! Huh? *_Police in the living room_* Dead?! Kidnapped?! _*Mom and dad suffocate me with hugs and tears*_Not with Alexander last night? Not at home or with Becky in the morning?! Uhhh. I can explain... You see, there was a vampire last night and he tried to kill me but Trevor saved me and I've been with him this whole time so you really don't have to worry! I'm fine and so is Trevor! _d^-^b

I slammed my head back onto the desk. _I'm doomed._

The bell rang and I headed for my locker when I saw Becky waiting there worried. My stomach twisted into knots. _Here we go._

"Raven!" Becky lit up when she saw me and she threw her arms around me in a brea hug. "I'm sooo sorry!"

_Eh...?_ I shifted my eyes left to right. "Huh? For what?"

"That I didn't pick you up this morning! I feel so bad! Please don't hold it against me! Matt needed to come early to school today and I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to have more time with him. I know we don't spend much time together and on our way to school is one of our only one-on-one time! But you know that if you were given the opportunity to be with Alexander for longer than usual you would jump to the chance... Forgive me? I'm a horrible friend!" She wailed and rested her head on my shoulder whimpering.

I couldn't help it, I just couldn't. It boiled within me and just bubbled over. I started laughing. I laughed histarically. It started from my stomach and somehow made its way to my head. I felt incurably... Silly. Becky looked at me and for some reason she cracked a smile and began laughing too. I was nearly doubled over, bracing the locker with one hand and resting my other on my somewhat bent legs trying to keep myself from falling over. Becky held her arms to her stomach and giggled like crazy.

She wiped tears from her eyes, "What [giggle] are we laughing [giggle] about...?"

I muffled a few giggles myself and smiled brightly at her, "I don't even know."

Trevor's Point of View

I got home from school and looked around my house in disinterest. Everything looked the same as every other house in this town. Everyone had the same style, the same taste. And it was all... _Bland..._ I walked up the stairs to my room, put my stuff down and fell onto my bed. Raven's not bland. Her and her one-of-a-kind attitude brings life to this dull town. I smiled inwardly and rolled over onto my side and felt something jab me. Sitting up I reached into my pocket and pulled out Raven's coffin-locket necklace. Holding the pewter trinket in my hand I leaned back once more.

I know I'm not the kind of guy she likes or even wants. I'm exactly the opposite. But last night something changed. Of course being attacked by some crazy person can change everything! Then I thought of the events that took place last night all over again. I know Raven knows more than she's telling me. And I know why she's not telling me anything. She simply doesn't trust me. One act of kindness will not change somebody's mind... Or their heart.

A sharp pain stabbed my chest and it was beginning to be hard to breathe. I glanced once more to the pewter necklace and dropped it to the floor then buried my head in my pillow as my eyes began to water.

I want to protect her. I want to make sure she's safe. But I can't do that if she's never going to let me be close to her. And then there's Alexander... My heart felt hollow. That's right, they're together and he will be able to do everything I am unable to do. He makes her smile. I make her angry. She loves him. She loathes me. I'm the soccer snob, and she's the only genuinely honest person I know.

I clutched the pillow closer.

_Monster Girl..._

But it's only wishful thinking.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

**Chapter 10**

**Alexander's Point of View**

Raven looked beautiful with a torn, black silk dress that puffed up and billowed in the slight breeze as she walked through the cemetery adoring the night. She made her way up to my grandmother's monument and turned around smiling, waiting for me. But instead of me walking up to her and holding her tightly, a figure that was not mine appeared. His light hair shown in the moonlight and she beamed up at him the way she does to me.

"Trevor..." she whispers his name lovingly and he turns her face towards his and kisses her.

I woke up in a cold sweat breathing heavily. I leaned my head in my hands trying to breathe normally. It was just a nightmare.

I looked around the small hidden room where my coffin was concealed. I could feel it was close to sunset and Raven would be coming over soon. I crawled out of my coffin and went through the small hidden door into my bedroom and began getting dressed.

I gazed out my attic room window and saw her walk up the stone walkway to the front door. Before she even knocked I opened the door and greeted her with a warm embrace. She stiffened in my arms a moment before slowly settling her head against my chest and exhaled.

"I missed you." I whispered in her ear.

She nodded her head and whispered back, "Me too".

I lead her into the den and she gasped. I had set up the den to resemble a movie theatre; an assortment of snacks and refreshments were on the coffee table with a stack of movies.

"Oh, Alexander, this is so sweet." Raven said and turned to me. "You're so sweet." And she gave me a peck on my cheek.

We were cuddling on the couch while watching the latest vampire flick and I noticed something; we haven't mentioned anything about last night. I gazed at her through the corner of my eyes.

Why isn't she talking about last night? We don't keep secrets from each other; we never have. I know Mathias was out of line but because he's a new vampire she's never known anything about she would have brought it up to me by now. Maybe she thinks she should protect me? Raven always tries to protect me...

I felt a wave of love and admiration sweep over me.

She can be stubborn at times... Ok, maybe all the time, but she's strong.

I leaned in to kiss the top of her head and I breathed in a scent that was not hers.

It wreaked of expensive cologne, grass and the human scent belonging to each individual person; a unique biological scent. A trademark, and it belonged to Trevor.

I recoiled a tad, but thankfully not enough for her to notice. But Trevor's scent burned my nose and made every inch of my skin crawl with disgust.

She was with him last night. I knew that already; it was brought to my attention by Mathias, but admitting it to myself and having the evidence so clear inside my head brings a whole new light to it. Not only was he with her, but he touched her. I don't know how... But I will find out.

"Alexander?" Raven's voice brought my attention away from the screen, which was now rolling the credits, and to her face that was wrinkled with worry.

"Sorry, I was just... Thinking."

She looked at me like she didn't believe me.

"If the movie wasn't interesting to you, you could have told me. We could have put in a different one." She said as she got up to put the movie back in its case.

"The movie was great." I lied.

**Raven's Point of View**

Alexander walked me to my front porch. We said our goodnights and gave each other goodnight kisses. But it wasn't until I got into my bedroom and shut the door that I sighed and fell back onto my bed and stared up at my ceiling. But the ceiling wasn't interesting so I rolled over to my side and gazed out of my window. The stars twinkled up over head. It was times like these that I was actually happy to live in the small, secluded town I call Dullsville.

But no matter how much the stars and th enight sky soothed me, I couldn't stop myself from thinking; and it was the thinking that made me restless.

All I knew was that there was new vampire in town. Possibly more nefarious than Jagger, Luna and Valentine, at least he seemed like it. I know I should have told Alexander about him and maybe that is the best decision I could possibly make. But this unsettles me. That new vampire is violent and unafraid to shed some blood. Not only that but Trevor was the only one there who protected me. What if Trevor didn't arrive when he did? I might have ended up a permanent resident of the cemetery! And that's another thing... Trevor. What was he doing there? _Why_ was he there?!

I tossed and turned in my bed.

_I wish there was an off-switch for my brain._


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

**Chapter 11**

**Raven's Point of View**

I woke up for school the next morning feeling as if I never went to sleep. As I got ready; putting on black skinny jeans, my combat boots, multiple belts, a black, purple school skirt, a long sleeve shirt and applied my black make up. I dreaded the day ahead of me. I wasn't in trouble for not coming home last night; my parents didn't even notice, and I wasn't in trouble in school, which was a surprise, but I just wasn't the Raven I usually felt day after day.

I ate in the cafeteria with Becky and Matt across from me, staring out the cafeteria window. I was feeling the same way I felt when Jagger tried to trap me in his underground apartment, when Luna appeared in the fun house of mirrors, when Valentine was in the cave with me and Alexander.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen...

**Trevor's Point of View**

I tried to concentrate today. Semester exams were not too far away and I have to make the grade, my soccer scholarship depends on it, but as I sat in the library during lunch I couldn't think about any subject that I needed to study. All I thought about was Raven.

My stride was a little off today, Raven was too. My conscience and better half nagged me to talk to her, but since that morning we drove back to school together we haven't said a word to each other since. Nothing; no insults, no compliments. It was as if we barely knew the other existed.

I knew something was wrong. I had that same gut feeling I'd get in games where the coach called a play that I knew would fail, but this was 100 times worse.

But it's just none of my business.

Unless...

**Alexander's Point of view**

I couldn't sleep. I tried to, I shut my eyes and laid in my coffin for hours. I knew what was keeping me up, it was making me restless. I knew there would be issues about how to keep all this from Raven, likewise, keeping her from _it_.

But there are just some things I have to do.

**Mathias' Point of View**

I was laying in one of Jagger's spare coffins just after I revealed the reason I was here.

IWithout a care in the world, I drifted off to sleep smiling.

Things were going to get really interesting really fast.

**Jagger's Point of View**

Mathias told me everything; still in shock and unable to believe a word I entered the elevator with a sickening feeling crawling across skin, heading for the bar; I needed to speak with Romeo.

Some things are better left undisturbed.

But this changes everything...


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

**Chapter 12**

**Raven's Point of View**

"Raven? Will you be home for dinner or should I save you left overs?" My mother asked as she poked her head into my room. I looked up at her, but didn't say anything. "Honey, are you alright?" She walked into my room and closed the door behind her. I sat up on my bed holding my pillow as she sat down next to me. "We may not talk much and we may not share the same interests but I am here if you ever need to talk. You'll always be my little girl." my mother hugged me tight and I held her back.

"I'm sorry, mom, I don't know what's wrong with me. One moment I'm fine and the next I'm not. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before and it's freaking me out."

"You? Freaked out?" She laughed. "If there is one thing I know about you, it's that you don't scare easily. You may be lots of things; stubborn, sensitive, radical..."

I gave her a look.

She laughed.

"...And you are strong, Raven. Whatever problem or issue you're facing I know you can get through it easily. You're not stubborn and radical for nothing."

"You also said sensitive." I gave her a pout.

"And that's what makes you the sweet and caring Raven I know you to be."

I may not have filled her in on my life story, but mothers do know exactly the right things to say, even if they know nothing of the situation. At this moment, I was happy I was a part of this family. True, they weren't Cassandra or Constantine, but they were mine. And I wouldn't trade the for anything or anyone.

It's times like these that my head begins to clear and I know what I have to do.

But first, I have to see Trevor.

**Trevor's Point of View**

I was studying in my room for the semester exams when I heard a bicyclist peddling by. It was strange because no one in this town bikes anywhere.

We all have cars.

"Trevor! You're got company!" My mother called from downstairs. I grumbled. Matt knows to call when he's coming over.

I walked down the stairs and tuned the corner when spotted Raven sitting on my couch talking to my mother.

"I'm so happy to see you Raven. It's been a while since you've been by. How is Alexander doing?"

"He's fine Mrs. Mitchell, thank you for asking."

"That's good, oh and here he is. I'll leave you two alone."

My mother left the room and went upstairs leaving me and Raven in an uncomfortable silence. I approached the couch and sat across from her.

The silence stretched on. I could tell she wanted to say something, she started to but then stopped. I did the same.

Raven let out a loud sigh and finally broke the ice.

"I know we have nothing to talk about and possibly no reason for me even being her, but there are things going on that I think we could use each others help. I haven't told Alexander about what happened that night but I will. But I'd feel better about it if you came with me to tell him. I don't know if you know what I'm talking about but I've felt it. Something's not right. And I was hoping that you... Felt it too."

She slouched like she had let go a large burden that was tugging on her shoulders.

I looked up the stairs and turned back to her.

"Let's go for a drive."

She looked into my eyes and nodded.

******************************

**Alexander's Point of View**

Raven didn't show up at the mansion tonight.

Even still, this allowed me the freedom of doing what I needed to.

I made my way to the cemetery and placed fresh flowers by my grandmother's grave. As I sat kneeling in front of the massive monument a figure appeared beside me, a vampire named Ditron.

"I've brought what you've asked for." He said and multiple figures began appearing all around us. "They're here to help your cause and will gladly follow you to do it."

I nodded to him. "Thank you, my friend. I know these last years have not been kind to us, but it will change very soon."

The figures were vampires, dozens of them. These vampires, for one reason or another, fled Romania; and it's these vampires I will count on to go back.

I stood and faced all the different vampires from old to young. "Are you ready to face the dangers from this journey? I will not lie; some or most of you will die in the process." Neither vampire flinched nor backed down. "Then come, we must combine our powers and unite our strength if we should prevail."

I grasped a sliver blade Ditron handed to me along with a goblet. I cut my forearm and allowed the blood to ooze into the goblet and passed it around. Each vampire did the same, in the end we will have a full goblet with each vampires' blood. With a simple incantation along with the intake of the blood, we will be connected metaphysically.

This isn't the beginning to my plans, this is just the final stage to this story's rising action; gathering my army.

The climax is only the beginning.

**Mathias' Point of View**

"Are you completely positive this a good idea?" I asked for the thousandth time as Jagger and I sat in the front seat of his hearse.

"If you ask that question one more time, I swear I'll-"

"Do what? Hurt me? Kill me? Or just veer off the road and leave me here to rot and die?" I roared with laughter. "My dear cousin, I cannot die no matter how hard you try."

"Then just shut up! I'm trying to drive."

"I know telling you was something I probably shouldn't have done but I know it would have just made things so much more exciting!" I tapped my finger together, giddy like a little school girl.

"You're a mad man!"

"No, 'mad' is driving that the speed limit you are driving at. I'm merely looking out for my benefit in all of this." I waved my hand in the air. "I still can't believe you summoned them." I motioned to the two coffins in the back of the hearse. "And here I thought you would call in the calvary."

"Believe it or not, they are the calvary, and I have called for others. Although these two were the only ones who could get here this fast. Just be patient, the others will be here shortly. Although, if were you, I would get as far away from all this as I can. You did have a part in this messed up agenda Alexander is plotting." Jagger hissed.

"My, my. Those people are so temper-mental. I at least had the gall to help and this is how they repay me? Wanting to chase me down like a dog. I'm two times the age of half of those twits and yet they control all of Romania. Where's the justice in that?" I huffed.

"You can ask them when they get here." Jagger said. "Now, shut up."

**Jagger's Point of view**

We were just a few miles from Alexander's home when a red corvette passed me. As I glared at the asshole driving I noticed a very pale skinned girl with pitch black hair. It was Raven and for once she wasn't riding shotgun with Alexander, she was riding with Trevor.

"When the hell did that happen?" I said out loud.

"What was that?" Mathias asked.

I ignored him and moved up alongside Trevor and honked my horn. Raven saw me and shock overcame her face. I could tell she was telling Trevor to speed up, but instead he pulled over.

A very confused Trevor stepped out of the car as a very angry Raven stayed in it.

"Hey, Jagger, what are you doing here?" he asked as he walked over to me.

"I could ask you the same thing, and with Raven of all people." I said to him.

Mathias got out of the car and came over to us.

Recognition crossed both their faces and Trevor got into a defensive stance as Mathias just smiled.

"Jagger, what is he doing here? Do you have any idea what he did? Or who he is?" he yelled.

I turned to glare at Mathias but he just kept on smiling. "I think there might be something you forgot to mention, Mathias." I crossed my arms over my chest. "You better explain or else I will not help you at all in this situation with Alexander." I warned.

Trevor had a confused look on his face but it was Raven who spoke the words Jagger knew he was thinking.

"What about Alexander?" She asked as she stepped out of the car. She walked passed Trevor, who tried to catch her arm, walked up to me and Mathias both and stared us straight in the eyes. She sure did have guts.

I couldn't quite tell her what I had learned. I may have disliked her and yeah, tried to lure her to be mine, but that doesn't mean that I hated her enough to tell her the horrible truth. Thankfully, Mathias did that for me.

He leaned down so their faces were even with each others.

"Alexander isn't who you think he is."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

**Chapter 13**

**Alexander's Point of View**

Ditron stood beside me, "Everything is commencing smoothly." He informed.

"Good." I replied as I watched as a cemetery filled with vampires exchange blood and power.

Ditron continued, "What's the next phase in your plans, Alexander?"

I turned away from the scene at hand and faced him with a grin.

"Don't get caught."

**Raven's Point of View**

"What are you talking about? I know who Alexander is. Probably the only one who knows him better than anyone else on this planet." I challenged, staring at the man in front of me grinning so mischievously.

He continued to grin. "If you know him as you say you do, then, do you know of the location of his whereabouts and what he is currently trying to accomplish?"

I glared at him. "If he is trying to accomplish anything, it would most likely be to get away from you and anything to do with his past life."

He tsked and stood up straight, emphasising the fact that he was abnormally tall. "And what would you know of his 'past' life? He's a great deal older than you and a great deal more cunning in his ways. I have known him for so very long, and you cannot tell me that you know him better than I do."

I was taken aback. I wracked my brain to come up with... But I was coming up with nothing. Because the truth was, I really didn't know anything about his past; save for his grandmother, those nefarious twins and their little brother, his parents and Jameson of course. My arms fell by my sides and I felt defeated.

Trevor spoke up, and I honestly forgot he was there. "Okay. I don't know what's going on and I take it that Raven doesn't either. So could either of you just tell us what _is_ going on? Because for some reason, it seems to involve all of us."

I looked at Trevor with a loss for words and he nodded to me; he knew I was grateful to him. It was crazy to think that Trevor could read me, but he could, and that shed a whole new light on him.

Then Jagger spoke up, "Raven, maybe right here in the middle of the road isn't the best place to talk about this. We should go somewhere el-"

"No, Whatever is happening I think we should know now before things start spinning out of control." I said flatly.

"She's right." Mathias chimed in, "Raven, is it? Alexander's and my past intertwine some centuries ago. He is from noble blood, as you surely know, but I believe he has failed to shed light on just how noble his blood really is. He isn't a Count, Duke or Viscount; he was born into forgotten royalty and is quite similar to a prince. Although 'Prince' isn't the correct title, he is something akin to it."

"A Prince? Alexander? Is there really still royalty nowadays?" I asked

"Raven, my dear, there is a world beyond yours that you know nothing about. Remember, I said Alexander was a forgotten noble, so very few know of his birth rite. A very long time ago Alexander's lineage was stripped from their rightful place, some sort of conspiracy came about and Alexander's family was to blame with no proof. Their family was executed for treason, but not all family members were captured and killed; such as Constantine and his immediate family. As the centuries came and went the Sterlings appeared and no one could say exactly where they came from and frankly, no one cared; the Sterlings were wealthy beyond imaginable, noble, fourth right and disciplined to a fault. Any Vampire could tell that they were a very old line and also very beneficial to the vampire race at large. You see, Cassandra and Constantine have no desire to enact revenge for their fallen line, they are perfectly content on just living peacefully. Alexander on the other hand found it to be his destiny to grasp that wish was truly to be his. Alexander is currently the rightful heir the the Vampire Council and thus, the rightful heir to all of Romania herself. So Alexander has concocted over the centuries his return and here we are, all pawns to his plan."

My mouth fell open and I couldn't believe it. "You're lying!" I yelled. My mind beginning to boggle with, what I believed, to be just the start of a whole new person. I had only dreamed that vampires existed and since I met Alexander my beliefs became reality. Not only was Alexander a Vampire but there are hundreds of millions of them all around; at least that is what Alexander has told me. The thought of so many vampires made my stomach turn. Hearing this new side of Alexander that I had never witnessed before from a vampire that has known him forever has dropped a weight upon my shoulders and the world seemed to get a little hazy.

He just shook his head. "Sometimes I wish I was, that I imagined it all, but Alexander is truly a cunning vampire. His ploy to take back what was rightfully his has been in play for centuries. He truly has patience."

"You're lying..." I whispered.

"You're lying...!" I shouted and stared at him with empty eyes. I couldn't control what happened next; I ran to Mathias and began beating his chest with my fists yelling at him and shouting my agony to the world. The thoughts that coursed through my head tore me to pieces. _Alexander..._ His face cam into focus in my mind's eye and I fell apart. Everything he did and everything he said was to get to this point in time. He used everybody to get his revenge. He used me... The realization filled me chest with pressure and my head felt like it was splitting into two; it fueled my anger. "You're lying!"

"Raven!" Trevor grasped my shoulders and tried to pull me away but I wouldn't let up.

I wanted so badly to believe it, but the mysteries I could never solve was solid proof that Mathias was telling the truth...

The despair in his eyes all the time...

The mystery surrounding his family...

The reasons why he came here...

The secrets he always seemed to have...

... That glimmer in his eyes when danger seemed so close...

"... Oh my god... You're right..." I choked out with a gasp.

I was broken.

Mathias wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "Sometimes, to lose oneself in turmoil is not the best thing to do..." and the sound of his voice seemed to penetrate my mind and I could feel that familiar pull of his power, but it was different somehow... It was as if he were calling me with his very own essence, it was not harmful or scary as it was before. My frail body limped in his arms and my heart beat wildly then soon calmed. He continued to whisper to me, "I have lived these many years with knowing one thing is certain... Only we can truly help save ourselves, even from oneself." He released me from his arms and held my shoulders, "Someone can help you along the way." Mathias looked to Trevor as he came over and picked up my still body and laid me down on the passenger seat of his car. Dazed and confused I sat there not putting up a fight.

Trevor looked at the two men standing there, "... What can we do...?"


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, nor any product that has come from it.**

**Chapter 14**

**Trevor's Point of view**

"Raven…?" I glanced her way to see if she had even reacted to the sound of her name but she did nothing. Jagger assured me that it wouldn't last very long; Mathias only tried to soothe her. It worked but her expression remained broken. The words Jagger told me replayed into my head; _you should help her snap out of the state she's in. No one should do it alone._

I was digesting everything I had discovered- Vampires were real! I never thought in my wildest dreams that the very person I had accused of being a vampire was really a vampire. But as it turns out, Alexander is definitely a vampire. Raven was in on it too, after everything she had said about him not being a part of those rumors, he ended up being her dream come true. Jagger was also a one of the undead and if he's a vampire then that means Luna is as well. [Although I had a nagging feeling about Jagger.] And then there's Mathias… Is it just me or has this small time town become infested with vampires? But now we have to storm in on Alexander doing god knows what, and somehow divert his plans to kill god knows who, and we have to start by finding him, god knows where, and make sure that he can't complete his evil scheme by god knows when and only god knows how the hell we're going to do that! And I don't think you should say 'god' and 'hell' in the same sentence… I'm going to hell… TT-TT;;

We were following Jagger's hearse back to, what Raven likes to call it, Dullsville. With one hand on the wheel I reached for Raven's hand and held it gently. She jumped slightly then settled back down. It was then that she slowly held my hand as well. I looked at her and she looked at me, eyes beginning to brim with unshed tears.

"Raven-" I started but she interrupted me.

"How can you be so nice to me? It's so different from what I'm used to from you. At first I thought it was another one of your pranks, an evil joke where I would be another punch line to you and all your friends. But you continued to act as if I really meant something to you, even to the point where I actually thought you cared. What am I to you…?"

I quickly averted my eyes back to the road, my heart beginning to quicken. _Should I tell her now? I mean, it's only the secret I've been keeping for so many years. What's the worst that could happen? Hello! She's still in love with Alexander and before I know it they will work out this-this-this _mess_ and be happy again… Whatever I could have with Raven would only happen in my dreams…_

"Well, uhhh…"

She continued to look at me bewildered. I coughed and cleared me throat.

"Come on, Monster Girl! We're rivals to the very end. I just can't have a wannabe Trevor roaming around, wreaking havoc without my say-so. This is my town. " I gave her a seductive grin. She pulled her hand away and sat as close to the window as possible. My heart plummeted to the ground. I replaced that once warm hand back on the steering wheel and drove on in silence, void of Raven's sweet voice and any hope I had of having a place in her heart.

**Raven's Point of View**

I stared out the window fighting tears, _No, I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry_… A small, fragile tear rolled down my cheek. _Damn it all to hell! Why am I crying? I should be happy that Trevor was unchanged by these turn of events. It's not like I was expecting Trevor to have a shred of humanity and tell me everything would be okay… That's Alexander's job. _My heart twisted in two. _Alexander. _I shook my head. I haven't even given Alexander a chance to explain or even fend for himself. We've all done nothing but make him out to be an evil heartless person. I know him better than that. I may not know what he's done in his past but I do know him know and I know that the sweet Alexander I know could never harm anyone. As soon as we find him, I'll give him the chance to tell everybody that he's not how he was in the past, that he's changed. And I will tell him that I love him no matter what happens. One person's past does not label them forever. I smiled to myself. _I'm sorry Alexander, I will not lose faith in you again, I promise._

**Jagger's Point of View**

"You know this will put them in a tight spot if we find him. You know exactly what he'll be doing when we do." I said to Mathias who had his arms crossed over his chest in mock concentration.

"Yes, I do know very well, little cousin, and yet it is not my problem at all. Therefore what comes of it will have no affect on me whatsoever."

I faced Mathias. "Then what was that whole glamour thing about? You didn't have to do it but you did. It makes me think that you have a soft spot for her."

Mathias' eyes dazed out as if he were remembering things that have long been forgotten to this world. I could tell he felt my eyes boring into his skull because he shifted in his seat and retorted, "Keep your bloody eyes on the blasted road".

Funny, I thought, when aggravated Mathias' accent reverts back to his Romanian roots with a hint of British slander learned through the years. If you heard this voice from him you knew you struck a nerve you shouldn't have.

Then, a very angry, very feminine voice roared from the back of the hearse, "Will you two stop arguing? It's driving me crazy! I'm trying to sleep and haven't been able to get at least a wink's worth with you both bickering at each other like a bunch of kids!" A disgruntled teenage girl with bright silver hair and hot pink streaks poked her head though the window dividing the front from the back, the rings under her eyes even more defined than usual.

A young boy also emerged yawning, "Funny, I slept just fine. _You_ woke me up, Luna."

"Well then, allow me to put you back to sleep!" Luna was about to hit Valentine over the head with her porcelain doll when Mathias interrupted.

"Do you two know what has been underway?"

"Just about everything." Luna replied.

"Good." Mathias smiled.

I glanced sideways at him, "Something tells me I'm not going to like where this is going."

**Narrator's Point of View**

Both cars parked outside Dullsville's cemetery. It was either very late into the night or very early in the morning, Raven couldn't tell. All she knew was that it was really dark and from the looks of it they had two other guests. Jagger and Mathias came out of the hearse followed by a teenage girl and a young boy, both of whom Raven immediately recognized.

"What are you two doing here?" Raven asked the new arrivals.

"Jagger called us in Romania, we knew we had to come back. We can't leave you to handle this all by yourself, now can we? What kind of sister would I be?" Luna walked up to Raven, grasping her hand as if they had known each other for an eternity.

"Thank you…" Raven truly didn't know what to say to Luna. It was as if their encounters over the months have given them a fresh new start at an actual friendship. But she couldn't think about it all night, now could she? There was something they had to do.

"There is a likely chance that Alexander will be in this cemetery." Mathias informed them as they began walking to the entrance.

"Oh… My… Goth…" Raven exclaimed breathlessly.

Mathias and Jagger exchanged glances as Trevor took hold of Raven's hand. The cemetery gates were open revealing masses upon masses of children of the night. They walked slowly and cautiously through the crowd, "Stay close, mortals." Mathias scolded. He barred his fangs and the young vampires backed down, allowing a path that lead straight to Alexander's grandmother's monument.

Alexander's back was turned to the group as they approached, "I'm not sure if 'I'm glad you could make it' is the appropriate response, but I thank you for keeping Raven out of harm's way; although it was you who put her there in the first place… Mathias."

"Alexander." Mathias nodded in Alexander's direction, then to the vampire by his side, "Ditron." Ditron nodded in return.

Some of the vampires surrounding them inched closer, inhaling the air.

"Alexander…" Raven let go of Trevor's hand and outstretched it towards the man she's been so in love with.

"Raven, I'm so sorry that you have to bear witness to this." Alexander turned to face her, smiling that frail smile she knew so well.

Raven broke away from the group that formed a protective circle around her.

"Raven!" Trevor yelled and tried to catch her arm, but he couldn't reach her in time, "You can't!" Luna grabbed onto his arm to hold him back, A vampire broke from the ranks of the others, running passed Trevor and tried to snap his jaws around Raven's neck, narrowly missing, followed by Mathias' hand that came crashing around his skull, nails digging into his scalp. The vampire's eyes met Mathias'. Mathias growled low and deep, a terrible rumble to any young vampire. The young vampire whimpered and with a toss, Mathias threw him to the ground, "That bloody girl is going to get herself killed!"

Jagger rolled his eyes, "You get used to it."

Raven ran through the hordes of vampires and made it to Alexander's side, grasping onto him for dear life.

"Godammit, Raven!" Trevor yelled up at her. She ignored him and looked up at Alexander's face, "I know you better than anyone else. I know you would never do this willingly! You may have been whatever you were in the past but I know you're not like this now… Abandon all of this and prove to everyone that you're as good as I know you are!" Raven pleaded with her eyes. She wanted him to believe that he meant the world to her. "I love you, Alexander."

Alexander looked into her eyes, and saw that she was telling him the truth. He always knew that she loved him. "Raven, I'm sure that Mathias has indeed told you the truth."

"But I don't believe him!"

"You should, Raven." He smiled sweetly to her. "Once my plans are set into motion, this world will be reshaped. There will be new laws governing our existence, wouldn't you like that? You've always complained of how you hated how things were run. Now I can change this world into a place where you can be happy every day of your life."

"I am happy, Alexander. Everyday I spend with you I'm happy."

"Then wouldn't you love to be my dark queen? You'll rule this new world with me."

"We can't do that, Alexander. I may not like how this world is, but this world is filled with good people making a difference every single day!"

"And I can make a difference in the course of a week that no mortal can do."

"Alexander! That's not the normal way! What are you going to do? Kill people? Innocent people?"

"What on this planet is 'natural'? Even if deaths befall those who oppose me, it would have happened years from now. They are not innocent! Those bastards who did those cruel things to my family so long ago, are not innocent! The world would be a better place without them. It is only the inevitable."

"Alexander, this isn't you at all… What's happened to you?"

"Alexander," Ditron cut in, "the others are growing restless. The smell of their blood in the air has started taking a toll on some of the newly turned."

Alexander surveyed the sea of vampires, each face zoning out with hunger from time to time. With his expertise he knew that having Raven here would set them all off. There was only one thing for him to do…

Alexander looked from Ditron to Raven, and she knew instinctively that she had been wrong this entire time.

"I wish you loved me enough to stay by my side…" His eyes looked downward as he moved her away, "Leave…"

"What?" Raven's voice faltered.

Alexander turned his back towards her and Raven backed away as few vampires began to inch closer to her. She stumbled back and lost her footing, falling from top of the hill where the monument was. Jagger flitted behind her and caught her in mid air as the vampires closed in.

"We're no longer protected!" Jagger yelled at the group.

"Raven!" Trevor tried to run to Jagger who had Raven on his back.

"I've got her! Run!"

A vampire swooped down from the hill, his snarling fangs barred, ready to dig into Jagger's jugular. Mathias backhanded the vampire away as if it were a fly. "Move!" He yelled into Jagger's ear. Mathias ran to the front of the group clearing the way by tossing vampire after vampire into the air. Luna followed him giving swift right hooks to any vampire who would dare try to grab her, "I don't think we can make it out of here…" Luna whimpered. Valentine followed right after her using his psychic powers to make the vampires hallucinate, "We're getting out of here! And you can hit me all you want with your doll…" Luna smiled to her little brother. Trevor stayed by Jagger's side, not letting his eyes wander from Raven for more than a moment. "Raven! Stay with me…" Tears clouded Raven's eyes as she looked back to see one final glimpse of Alexander. Her vision went fuzzy… Then black.

"They're escaping." Dirton whispered to Alexander, whose back was still turned to the group.

"It's alright…" Alexander replied, just as low as Ditron's whisper, a single tear rolling down his cheek.


	15. Chapter 15

**~Gomenasai! I apologize for the long halt in production But here is the long awaited chapter 15! I wrote it last night listening to heavy rock and darkwave techno music, and for the full effects you should listen to that stuff too while reading. :D RxR and lemme know if it was a bit much... I kind of got carried away... w ENJOY!~  
**

Three days after the cemetery incident the six of them were back at the Coffin Club. Jagger had made some renovations to his underground apartment and it now had four bedrooms, one of which Raven has taken refuge in. No one blamed her; and no one dared disturb her. Mathias leaned back in a comfy crimson Victorian chair with carvings in the varnished wood so intricate it resembled chiseled marble. Valentine spent his time above ground pulling pranks on the staff of the Coffin Club, he was therefore nicknamed Helion. Jagger laid in one of the coffins in his spare room aggravated that Raven had taken his room over the three other rooms he had added. He spent almost all of the first day raising hell on the outside of his room, the door bolted shut. It was only after Luna scolded him while battering him with her hair products that he kicked the door and went into one of the spare rooms. Luna was the only one who seemed to not have been affected by the incident at the cemetery; she cooked and cleaned and seemed more like a chipper housewife than a nefarious teen vampire.

The atmosphere that Jagger was aiming for in his new coffin pad was supposed to be that of a bachelor's exotic Haven, where he could lead countless women down into his coffin cave and ravage them to his heart's content. But his five guests were seriously cramping his style, he thought with a twinge of anger. He opened one eye to see catch a glimpse of Trevor who has paced back and fourth in front of Raven's door for the past day and a half, his brows furrowed. Jagger let out a sneer of annoyance and turned over in his coffin.

Trevor raised his hand to knock on Raven's door and let his arm drop to his sides a thousand times. Each time Luna reminded him to let her come out on her own. _What if she needs someone...?_ It was the only thing that ran through his head. Letting out a sigh he leaned his forehead against the cool wood of the door, resting his hand against it as if trying to reach out to her.

"Haven't you ever wanted to be alone?"

Trevor glanced to his right to see Luna staring at him, waiting for an answer.

"Well, haven't you?" She persisted.

"...Yeah... A couple of times."

"Then you know exactly how she feels right now." Luna took a couple of steps and stood next to Trevor facing the door. "Right now she's facing a whole new world of feelings we've never felt before. We wouldn't know where to start either if we were confronted with that situation head-on like she was. We have to be supportive, even if we're not there with her physically. I have to admit, she is brave. I couldn't even begin to imagine how my heart would survive if the man I loved threw me to the wolves."

Trevor looked at Luna and turned back to the door. In that moment it was just him and the door; a symbol of everything he didn't know about Raven. A metal door with countless locks and bolts. A sharp pain intruded his chest as he laid a hand on the door once more.

Luna sensed uncertainty rise within him. She mumbled something that Trevor couldn't understand and grabbed his arm leading him away from the door. "You need to have some time to yourself too." She scolded and pushed him towards the elevator at the end of the long hall.

"Hey! What are you doing?" He said trying to twist his arm out from her grip.

"Noooooothing. I just want to show you something." She beamed an exuberant smile towards him. "You won't regret it."

"I already do..." He mumbled.

"Oh, hush." She laughed.

They walked out of Jagger's underground pad and into the long hall towards the elevator.

"Where are you taking me?"

Luna ignored him. "The type of music that we're into doesn't just make you want to party; it helps you vent out frustration and..."

"Hey, are you listening to me?"

She opened the elevator door and pushed him inside, pressed the button and closed the door.

Trevor grasped the elevator door and tried to open it, "What the hell?"

"It also helps you think." She winked at him as the elevator began its ascent, "Go let out some steam. And who knows, maybe..." Her voice trailed off.

Luna disappeared behind a wall of concrete and Trevor cursed in a low breath. "That-that... Freak!" He couldn't bring himself to say anything else that would have been even more demeaning, so he settled for something that he was comfortable calling her. It's not like it offended them or anything, he thought. They were proud to be freaks, it was something they prized. _So, in a way it was a compliment..._

The elevator reached the club level and music pulsed through the walls and the ground, sending minute vibrations through his body. He stepped out of the elevator and reached the dance floor with a horde of other freaks thrashing their bodies as if their souls were ablaze with passion. It surprised him each and every time he saw the Coffin Club. This scene was just too new to him, it's not something you would see everyday in Dullsville so it took him by surprise every time. He walked through the crowd of dancers who were ignorant of his presence and made his way to the bar where a miraculous open stool called out to him. Romeo, the bartender, noticed him immediately.

"I didn't think I'd find you here without everyone else." Romeo called out to Trevor.

"Luna." Was all Trevor said and not surprisingly that was all Romeo needed for an answer and he laughed.

"That damn woman. I never know what she's going to do next." Romeo smirked and then passed a drink towards Trevor, "On the house." Trevor nodded in response, tilted his head back and gulped down the contents of the glass and coughed a frenzy.

"What the hell w-" Trevor choked out.

"Jagger's Special." Romeo chuckled. "Gotta ask him."

Trevor slammed down the glass. "How the hell could you not know...? You're the freaking bartender! Well... Whatever that hell that was... Give me another..."

Romeo raised an eyebrow in interest. "You've got guts."

Seven glasses of Jagger's whatever and two of Execution something-or-other later and the music started getting to him. Trevor had immersed himself into a conversation with Romeo, a red-headed version of Raven and a guy with a mohawk thirteen point five inches long; they measured it.

The red-head said something about admittance into the Coffin Club and the mohawk guy agreed with her, then Romeo said something about a war between a phoenix and a dagger? Something, something, something running the Coffin Club... Trevor didn't understand a word they were saying and his attention span was zoning in and out of everything around him. Mohawk said something about not being taken seriously and Trevor slammed his eighth glass on the bar.

"I know..." Trevor grumbled. "Is like whatever you do, whatever you say, nothin' gets through to anbody. All that madders is status, who's got more money, who's got the bedder car... To tell the truth I'm freakin' sick of it all... I... I would... Throw it all away... Jus for someone to understand... I really don't care any ov it... At all."

Red-head layed a hand on his shoulder, "No one judges here."

Mohawk slapped his other shoulder, "Dude! I didn't think you would be this awesome... Swear." He raised up the devil horns, "Metal's Honor."

Romeo leaned back and just smirked.

Trevor laid his head on the bar, it was refreshing to feel the coolness against his warm skin. He tried to drink down more, but his glass was empty. He stared at the bottom of the glass his throat burning, his head feeling light and fuzzy and everyone's faces began to distort a little. Trevor was seeing doubles and hearing whispers far below the music. It caressed him and called to him, slowly leading him to the dance floor. Red-head questioned Romeo where he was headed, and Romeo just shook his head, "He's finally found it." Red-head just looked even more puzzled. Mohawk just shrugged.

Trevor looked around and the dance floor seemed more and more appealing each time he saw it. The song became a fast-paced, darkwave techno song, his body was being lured to the middle of a sea of goths of all kinds losing themselves in this mass hysteria of forgotten passion and delerium. He'd started dancing with a teen goth-girl with blue streaks and a leather corset. She wrapped her arms around him and they swayed with the beat of the music. Somehow he'd changed partners and a new girl occupied his arms. Alarm rang in the back of his mind, but for once in his life, he ignored all common sense and logic to lose himself in a way he's never done before. Somewhere, somehow, the atmosphere he'd been feeling changed. With his eyes closed, enraptured in the spell he was under he tried to understand what was making this new feeling surface. Trevor's skin tingled, his heart felt electrified as every pulse seemed to be amplified in his ears, his movements became more languid as the girl in his arms seemed to have become someone else. Then a very new, yet very familiar scent wafted up into the air surrounding him, the bare skin he touched and caressed felt very warm and inviting in a very familiar way... He unwillingly opened his eyes to see Raven passionately swaying to the music in his arms as it took over her soul. Shock and some other feelings surfaced within him halting his movements. Raven opened her eyes to meet Trevor's and they stared at each other. Both seemed to have awaken from a trance of some sort. Raven leaned up on her tip-toes and whispered in his ear.

_Lose yourself with me..._

A jolt of electricity and adrenaline surged through his body, grasping Raven by her waist and hips he swayed her left and right, holding her body tightly to his, molding them to each other. Raven wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to lead her into that dark nothingness your mind travels to in that moment where life and music collide. But the place where Trevor was taking her was everything but dark, it was a kaleidoscope of colors and explosions of fireworks in a way that she had never felt before. She had hoped in the back of her mind as the music draped around them that Trevor could feel it too. Minutes slipped away and became hours as they helplessly became prey to the music that so greedily controlled them. Breathing heavily, Trevor called out her name in a low voice. Raven caught a very inviting scent; he'd been drinking. That scent wafted around her, engulfing her in a careless frenzy daring her to explore what she's never had the willingness to discover before this moment and her movements became more fluid pulling herself closer and closer to him. Trevor held her tightly as if their bodies have already became one. In a moment or pure forgotten bliss, Trevor leaned forward and grazed Raven's neck with his teeth, something he'd been wanting to do for years. She let out a small gasp through parted lips and tilted her head to the side. With heavy breathing he trailed his tongue along her neck and felt her shiver in his arms holding him more tightly then she had been before. His arms were carefully holding her as if she were a porcelain doll so fragile that she would crumble if not held with utmost care. Raven called out his name in his ear and sent chills down his spine. The line they were dangerously crossing seemed to have taken a life of its own as Trevor turned her around so her back was to him, molding her body to his once more he draped his arms around, her breathing in her ear and whispering her name. He grazed her neck again with his teeth and bit down, gently nibbling. With a small moan Raven reached behind her and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck pulling him closer to her.

"...More..."

Trevor traced his fingers down her side and back up again breathing into her ear. She shivered in his arms. He traced his fingers down her side again and slowly, carefully lifted up her shirt an inch, feeling her smooth skin. A gasp escaped her lips and she arched her back. Her small, helpless gasp echoed in Trevor's ears, in response he unwillingly dug his nails into her skin and bit his lip. Raven turned herself around and pushed herself into his arms, their lips melting into each others, a burning sensation rising within them, their bodies writhing in unrequited passion.

Raven now knew what it was she had been feeling for him all this time since that night he had saved her... And she was scared to death of what it really meant to be swept away...

"Don't they look great together?" Luna smiled. Luna, Jagger and Mathias were on the balcony overlooking the whole of the Coffin Club.

"Remind me, why the hell are we up here?" Jagger spat.

"I second that." Mathias said picking at his nails.

"They need some time to themselves now" Luna luaghed giddily.

"Was this all your doing, Luna?" Mathias raised an eyebrow at her.

"...Maybe..." She smiled.

Jagger made a mock gag expression. "You disgust me."

Luna just giggled. "What else could I use this ability for?"

In a crazy attempt to get to the elevator Trevor and Raven half stumbled and half tripped through the dance floor. Down the elevator and into Jagger's underground pad they made their way through the long hallway kissing and stumbling over boxes, not wanting to let each other go. In one of Jagger's spare rooms Trevor lead Raven inside and closed the door, leaning Raven against it trailing his hands up the side of her legs to her neck and kissed her deeply. Their tongues touched and time seemed to have fun slowing down and speeding up again. Her hands trailed down his chest and went underneath his shirt touching his skin, he squeezed his eyes shut, his skin burning where she touched him. Their breathing got heavy as he slowly undressed her, never taking his eyes away, adoring every inch of creamy skin he unveiled.

Raven reached for his shirt, brought it up over his head and felt his warm skin. She couldn't just take off his clothes, she had to touch him, had to feel his skin as she did it... He was like her drug... She couldn't get enough of him... He was so very dangerous, yet... He made her feel so alive... Everything he did, it was for her...

They lay in the coffin, Trevor squeezed his eyes shut trying to soothe her as she gasped breathlessly and dug her nails into his back as pain raptures through her body. With gentle care he held her, kissed her, breathed in her ear, whispered soft and loving words and her pain turned to pleasure... Deep, unbearable pleasure. Raven arched her back as Trevor rocked back and fourth, slowly, then faster. His movements were labored, breathing haggard, she wrapped her legs around his waist and began to rock with him, matching his pace. Losing themselves in a world unrelated to the place they found on the dance floor... Tossing and turning, breathing heavily, grasping each other tightly, nails digging into skin, lips trailing feathery kisses, teeth grazing the most sensitive areas of the body...

Could any sweet, pleasurable feeling build inside you for so long? Could it build in pressure and try to break free?Could it become so unbearably good? Could letting it overflow out of you hurt so much that it feels so good?

Warmth rising up... Can't control it... It's breaking free...

"Raven..."

"...Yes..."

"... I love you..."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The sun had just set sending violet streaks of fading light into the vast, deep blue nothingness. Dimly lit silvery orbs glowed like embers ready to ignite. The buildings took on a gloomy facade as day settled into night. The wind whistled through the trees and the wolves howled in the distance, rejoicing for the coming night; it was time's like this when Alexander truly enjoyed Romania.

Alexander had been looking out his window since the sun had set. He resided in the tower of his grand estate and overlooked the whole of his hometown. It was the first sunset he had seen of his homeland for quite some time and he was enjoying it. But Alexander knew too well that all things good, soon comes to an end; as if on cue Ditron knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Ditron seemed to move without sound as he came to stand beside Alexander. Alexander knew that the only reason Ditron appears is to relay news and to gather new orders.

"You know," Alexander began and Ditron looked at him, "I've been doted on for most of my life merely because I was an only child and I've had many playmates during my childhood but was rare to find a person who actually wanted to be my companion simply because we had similar interests. The mothers and fathers of my childhood friends only sought social stability through our family." Alexander faced Ditron, "I wanted to thank you. You have become and remained a true friend through out the duration of all of this."

Ditron shook his head, "No need to thank me, Alexander. I admit, I was angered by the way our society treated your family, my family and other truly noble families; that is one of the many things we have in common, we both feel the need to right an injustice. Which is why I'll gladly stay beside you on this journey to correct the ways of our kind."

Alexander smiled. "You truly have an admirable heart. I've always wondered, what path in your life would you have chosen if you were not part of this cause?"

The question took Ditron by surprise. He stood there, unknowingly looking at the ground, trying to find a way to put his true feelings into words. He took a few steps and laid his hand on the window. "Sometimes... I believe that my true desires take a different path than the one that I was raised to follow."

Alexander patted Ditron's shoulder. "No one can decide your future but yourself. Nevertheless, I am glad you are here to help me through this."

Ditron smiled a small and slightly unnoticeable smile But Alexander saw it and was glad that he had found some sort of comfort within himself.

Ditron had left after relaying updates and news he had gathered through his intricate network of intelligence made up of vampires, humans and technology. Alexander leaned back in his overly comfortable desk chair and stared up at the ceiling. His conversation with Ditron had sparked a reminiscent feeling within him and he began recalling his life's events. He remembered the children of vampires that he had to acquaint himself with. They found entertainment in killing small helpless animals. He had tried to save those little creatures and was teased by the vampire children then scorned by their parents for doing so. His mother and father had consoled him by explaining that not all Vampires were kind to all of Earth's creations. He sighed. Thinking about his mother and father brought him a small sense of dread. They were truly beautiful, he thought. Cassandra and Constantine were adored by almost everyone in their society. They were fair, understanding and kind to a fault; perfect attributes that are held in such high regard for the Council. But the Council has been tainted by blood leeching parasites who fatten themselves night upon night by gorging themselves on the fearful and helpless creatures of this world, ignorant of the damage that they have caused to the Vampires and to all of humanity.

He had researched history and almost every government's files containing most of the world's best kept secrets, conspiracies, murders and assassinations. Behind most of the unexplained occurrences vampires were involved, he knew it, could tell the signs between a derranged human and an out of control vampire. This was what he needed to change. He needed to right all of the injustices of the world and either change or annihilate the vampires in control or involved in this worldwide mayhem.

It wasn't just his past that he wanted to change, although many would feel that he was acting on impulse to avenge his family and his family alone... But that was only the stepping stone to the realization that this whole world needed to avenged. And so his journey began almost thirteen years ago where he decided that he would change the course of the vampire species and all of humanity.

Alexander heaved a sigh.

He recalled the what happened in the cemetery and regretted every second of it. If he could have only explained to her why he had done what he did then maybe she would have understood. He tried and she had not listened or she didn't really care. She didn't like what he was doing and that was made very clear.

"Raven..." He whispered, as if calling to her.

He had tried so hard to not think about her but he knew better. Her face appeared into his mind's eye as if he were looking at her. It was at this moment he cursed the vampires' ability of photographic memory. Everything he had wanted in his lifetime he had worked so carefully to achieve and it was all going so well. He did not expect to make friends in Dullsville, nor did he ever imagine that he would have... Fallen in love. Alexander put his head in his hands as he leaned on the his over sized, red oak desk. Was he too naive to believe that she would have chosen him and the world he wanted to rebuild? He believed she would, but a small voice in the back of his mind, where all his insecurity lies, said she would not. Halfway in their relationship he had almost threw away his entire life's work with the ending result being an internal argument and a decision made completely by chance; blindly convincing himself that Fate made it so.

Then Trevor's face appeared in his mind's eye and Alexander's blood boiled as emerald envy coursed through his veins. He knew that she had been with him the passed couple of days and had even spent a couple of nights with him, his scent covered her skin and clothes. Before he would have scolded himself for feeling the slightest hint of jealousy over Trevor but the recent turn of events have landed Raven right into his arms... A thought Alexander did not want in his head at any cost.

And so, his mind became filled with memories and promises of a life he now felt he would never have. Even if he achieved his goal he would still be without Raven... And Alexander's world became much more darker...

Ditron closed his chamber door sliding to the floor, clutching his chest.

"Yes," He said aloud to himself, "justice will be distributed as it should."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Alexander!"

Alexander's eyes opened wide in shock. "What is it?!" Yelling could be heard from the floors below... Gunshots echoed low in the distance.

"We have to leave now!" Ditron punched some keys on Alexander's computer, the screen filled with all sorts of windows and files overriding the computer's hardrive.

They headed down the long corridor beyond Alexander's chamber and reached the staircase, keeping their backs close to the wall. A voice crackled in Ditron's earpiece and he nodded.

"Alexander, one of our best teams on-sight are on the floor below. They will escort you to the safe house."

"And you?" Alexander looked at Ditron with a serious face.

Ditron smiled. "I'm the decoy."

The team appeared, its leading operator outstretching his arm, "This way."

A few feet away a keypad appeared in the wall which one of the team members punched in some keys and a door silently slid open in the wall revealing a corridor straight down.

"Go now, Alexander." Ditron urged.

Alexander looked at him a moment then turned to follow the team, "...I can't stop you from doing what you think you should..." With that Alexander looked down the long, dark corridor that dropped straight down and stepped into darkness.

Ditron nodded to the other team members, "I can handle this, you go."

The team nodded. The yelling and gunshots were getting closer. One by one the team disappeared into the dark, the hidden door silently closed once more and looked as though it wasn't even there.

"Alexander!" A female voice hollered.

Ditron smiled, "You're too late, Caterina." He chuckled, drawing his pistols.

Caterina rounded the stairs and saw Ditron. "You..." With a hiss she leapt over the flight of stairs that separated them. Ditron fired a couple of rounds, Caterina dodged. She leapt and caught Ditron's arm with her ice cold hands, Ditron delivered a swift uppercut and contacted her jaw sending her head back with a snap. Ditron jumped back and fired a few more rounds, grazing Caterina's arm leaving burnt holes in her clothes.

Anger surged through her, "This was new...! You're going to pay for it!"

Flitting the distance between them she leapt, bringing her right foot into a roundhouse kick to his face. Ditron flew to the floor. Trying to get up, he saw her shadow approach, rolling over in time as her foot came crashing into the floor boards. She turned to Ditron, crossing her arms. Two small objects were thrust from his hands, glinting as they sliced through the air towards her. With a lash she deflected one with her whip and caught the other with a loud crack.

Caterina laughed wildly, "I am still too fast for you... Brother, darling..."

Ditron narrowed his eyes, his chest beginning to burn.

"Does it hurt...?" She teased.

A low, trembling sound escaped his lips.

She narrowed her eyes in annoyance, bringing her arm back to snap her whip and was pulled forward instead, crashing to the floor. There was a loud crunch as his boot came down on her hand grinding it into the ground. A piercing cry filled the air.

Breathless she produced a small knife from her shirt sleeve. With what little strength she had she brought the knife down into Ditron's foot. He retracted his foot, screeching in pain.

Breathing haggardly with his fangs bared he withdrew another dagger attached to a chain. He advanced towards her, whipping the dagger this way and that, flitting faster than she had seen him ever do before.

Caterina's heartbeat raced. She tried to keep Ditron in her range of sight, but he was moving slightly faster than her eyes could adjust.

The chains seemed to be coming from every direction... She couldn't pin-point where he was...

"Who's too fast for whom?" A low whisper caressed her ear.

She gasped, he has somehow found his way behind her! The other end of the chain lay in his hand and with a small tug, the chains ceased moving and drew taught in the air surrounding her. With another pull on the chains they closed in on her, quickly seizing her in an iron grip.

"You-you bastard!" She screamed. He tugged on the chains once more. Another scream tore from Caterina's lips.

"I won't forgive you..." He spat at her; a searing pain rippled through his chest.

Amusement filled her voice. "I never sought forgiveness... You deserved it..." The last she said in disgust, her voice growing weaker by the second.

His chest ached as if it was caving in on itself. "I can and will kill you right now, right where you stand." He growled into her ears.

Caterina smiled. "You would have done so already."

"Lady Caterina!" A group of vampires were running their way.

"One step and I will rip her body to shreds...!"

They halted immediately in shock.

"My Lady!" A man with silver hair shouted as he stepped fourth. She let out a pained scream as the chains dug deeper into her skin tightening around her body. With a gasp the man retreated a step or two. "Let her go!" The man shouted.

Ditron laughed maniacally. "Come, take her from me. We'll make this a game... Shall we?"

The man became more serious. "No."

Ignoring his reply Ditron continued, smiling, "If you can take her from me I will let you all live... But if you cannot safely retrieve her... You all die. Is that a gamble you are willing to risk?"

The group of vampires stood there silently calculating the percentage of defeat and victory.

Her painful shouts echoing through the halls.

"No!" The silver-haired man tried to rush to her aid but was held back by two others. "He will kill her!" One of them hissed to him. "But there's no other way!" Another declared. "Can we overtake him?" One asked in panic. "We can!" Another one shouted.

"Tick-tock." Ditron called out as he tugged on the chains once again.

Another scream.

A ripple of panic coursed through the vampires, then a female stepped forward, "Yes, we will pllay your game."

A tremor wavered within Ditron and rippled out in the form of laughter beginning in the deep parts of his chest, bellowing out an insatiable sound of cruelty . The energy in the air become electrified, changing the molecular structure of the atmosphere surrounding them creating a dark aura emanating from within Ditron, extending and reaching out with like the tendrils of flames, ready to burn you at any moment. His fangs extended, his senses alert... His eyes glossing over to white.

"Let the games begin."

The darkness engulfed them as their bodies dropped through the vertical corridor nicely concealed within the estate's walls. Alexander landed on his feet with ease, following his escorts through a complex maze of underground tunnels. Explosions rattled overhead shaking the foundation of the vast estate they were traveling under, sending small tremors through the walls surronding them.

"Sir, we must hurry!" One of the escorts shouted. Alexander quickened his pace as he ran in the middle of seven or so people. Shouting and gunfire could be heard up ahead in one the tunnels.

Crackling from their earpieces... "Tunnel... Has been... -ushed..." Gunfire. Yelling. "-Unnel B... Ambushed! -peat!" Another gunshot. Silence.

"Stop." The leading officer signaled. The excorts nodded to each other and took formation.

"Jamie." He signaled again.

One of the escorts, Jamie, slowly stepped fourth then flitted and disappeared. The rest of the team waited... Sweat forming on Alexander's brow as he concentrated on the escort's presence, listening to the sounds around them...

The escort flitted back, reappearing in front of them. "All clear."

"Proceed." He signaled once more.

They slowly made their way through the tunnels, senses alert, every vampire utilizing all their abilities to escort Alexander safely away from this area.

About a quarter mile from the exit a couple of steel balls were thrown at their feet, they exploded, emitting a booming sound that rattled their senses paired with a bright flash of light. Disorientated, Alexander opened his eyes to find that he was seeing double, he could hardly stand and was beginning to topple over. He could dimly hear the sounds of a raging battle feild far off into the distance... Gunshots in rapid fire. The slashing of claws on flesh and the distinct sound of bones being crushed. One of the escorts raised him up, bracing Alexander against the wall. A thick fog permeated the air low on the ground, it rose and rose and filled their lungs. The escort that was holding Alexander doubled over coughing up a dark liquid. Alexander semi-blindly struggled to get up, his peripherals catching the sight of a dozen or so vampires with masks and goggles.

"Protect Alexander!" One of the escorts shouted.

A human wall of escorts formed around Alexander, some bloody and bruised, some whose limbs were completely useless. Alexander's eyes focused as he saw a mass of bodies splayed on the ground around them. The bodies belonged to that of his enemies and his allies. Another wall formed a few yards away form Alexander, an outer wall made of highly skilled and unharmed special ops.

The person at the center of the vampires pointed at Alexander. "Retrieve the traitor."

One masked vampire slowly walked towards Alexander, skillfully swinging a sword this way and that, humming a playful tune. The other flitted around behind him using one of his hands to hold back Alexander's arms, the other hand gripped Alexander's hair and yanked his head back, exposing his bare neck to the cold steel of the blade.

Alexander stared painfully at the group of vampires who had come to take his life.


End file.
